Heavy oil hydroconversion process

Abstract

A method for the efficient conversion of heavy oil to distillates using sequential hydrocracking in the presence of both supported and colloidal catalyst immediately followed by a high temperature-short residence time thermal treatment. The hydrocracker reaction products or a heavy oil and hydrogen donor diluent may be advantageously heated by direct contact with high velocity combustion products.

1. A method for the hydroconversion of a heavy oil comprising
 (a) introducing a heavy oil feedstock and hydrogen into a first reaction zone containing a resid hydrocracking catalyst; 
 (b) maintaining said first reaction zone at a temperature, hydrogen partial pressure, and sufficient residence time to add between 100 and 500 standard cubic feet of hydrogen per barrel of the first reaction zone heavy oil feed; 
 (c) separating said first reaction zone liquid product and gaseous products; 
 (d) rapidly heating said the first reaction zone liquid product to between 500 and 800° C. in a second reaction zone by combusting an oxidant and fuel at elevated pressure; allowing the combustion products to expand to a lower pressure to form a high velocity jet; and rapidly heating the liquid product from the first reaction zone with the said high velocity jet; 
 (e) providing sufficient residence time to convert between 70 and 90% of the reside to distillates; and 
 (f) rapidly quenching said second reaction zone product to less than 400° C., thereby inhibiting the formation of coke. 
 
     
     
       2. The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said first reaction zone is an ebullated bed resid hydrocracker. 
     
     
       3. The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said resid hydrocracking catalyst is a particulate nickel-molybdate or cobalt-molybdate catalyst on an alumina support. 
     
     
       4. The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said resid hydrocracking catalyst is a particulate nickel-molybdate or cobalt-molybdate catalyst on an alumina support and a colloidal molybdenum disulfide catalyst. 
     
     
       5. The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the temperature of step b is between about 370° C. and 470° C. 
     
     
       6. The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the hydrogen partial pressure of step b is between about 1000 to 3000 psig. 
     
     
       7. The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the residence time of step b is about 5 to 60 minutes. 
     
     
       8. The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein step c is performed in a gravity vapor liquid separator. 
     
     
       9. The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein step c is performed in a cyclone separator. 
     
     
       10. The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein step c is performed at a temperature of about 370° C. to 470° C. and a pressure of about 1000 to 3000 psig. 
     
     
       11. The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein step d is performed at a pressure between 5 and 1000 psig. 
     
     
       12. The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the residence time in step d is between 0.01 and 100 seconds. 
     
     
       13. The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the oxidant and fuel combustion occurs at a pressure between 2 and 10 times the second reaction zone pressure. 
     
     
       14. The method as claimed in  claim 1  where step f is performed using a recycle distillate quench stream. 
     
     
       15. The method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the first reaction zone heavy oil feed comprises fresh feed and recycled heavy oil from the second reaction zone. 
     
     
       16. The method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the first reaction zone heavy oil feed comprises fresh feed and recycled heavy gas oil from the second reaction zone. 
     
     
       17. The method as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising solvent treatment to separate the heavy oil product from the second reaction zone into deasphalted oil, resin and asphaltene streams. 
     
     
       18. The method as claimed in  claim 17  to produce a resin stream for recycle to the first reaction zone. 
     
     
       19. The method as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising the production of steam. 
     
     
       20. The method as claimed in  claim 19  wherein said steam is produced by circulating quench oil through a heat exchanger. 
     
     
       21. The method as claimed in  claim 19  wherein said steam is employed in a bitumen production facility. 
     
     
       22. A method for the hydroconversion of a heavy oil comprising
 (a) introducing a heavy oil feedstock and hydrogen into a first reaction zone containing a resid hydrogenation catalyst; 
 (b) maintaining said first reaction zone at a temperature, hydrogen partial pressure, and sufficient residence time to add between 100 and 500 standard cubic feet of hydrogen per barrel of the first reaction zone heavy oil feed; 
 (c) separating said first reaction zone liquid product and gaseous products; 
 (d) rapidly heating said first reaction zone liquid product to between 500 and 800° C. in a second reaction zone by combusting an oxidant and fuel at elevated pressure; allowing the combustion products to expand to a lower pressure to form a high velocity jet; and rapidly heating the liquid product from the first reaction zone with the said high velocity jet; 
 (e) providing sufficient residence time to convert between 70 and 90% of the reside to distillates; and 
 (f) rapidly quenching said second reaction zone product to less than 400° C. thereby inhibiting the formation of coke. 
 
     
     
       23. The method as claimed in  claim 22  wherein said first reaction zone is a fixed bed, down flow resid hydrotreater. 
     
     
       24. The method as claimed in  claim 22  wherein said resid hydrogenation catalyst is a particulate nickel-molybdate or cobalt-molybdate catalyst on an alumina support. 
     
     
       25. The method as claimed in  claim 22  wherein said resid hydrogenation catalyst is a particulate nickel-molybdate or cobalt-molybdate catalyst on an alumina support and a colloidal molybdenum disulfide catalyst. 
     
     
       26. The method as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the temperature of step b is between about 370° C. and 425° C. 
     
     
       27. The method as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the hydrogen partial pressure of step b is between about 1000 to 3000 psig. 
     
     
       28. The method as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the residence time of step b is about 5 to 60 minutes. 
     
     
       29. The method as claimed in  claim 22  wherein step c is performed in a gravity vapor liquid separator. 
     
     
       30. The method as claimed in  claim 22  wherein step c is performed in a cyclone separator. 
     
     
       31. The method as claimed in  claim 22  wherein step c is performed at a temperature of about 370° C. to 425° C. and a pressure of about 1000 to 3000 psig. 
     
     
       32. The method as claimed in  claim 22  wherein step d is performed at a pressure between 5 and 1000 psig. 
     
     
       33. The method as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the residence time in step d is between 0.01 and 100 seconds. 
     
     
       34. The method as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the oxidant and fuel combustion occurs at a pressure between 2 and 10 times the second reaction zone pressure. 
     
     
       35. The method as claimed in  claim 22  where step f is performed using a recycle distillate quench stream. 
     
     
       36. The method as claimed in  claim 22  in which the first reaction zone heavy oil feed comprises fresh feed and recycled heavy oil from the second reaction zone. 
     
     
       37. The method as claimed in  claim 22  in which the first reaction zone heavy oil feed comprises fresh feed and recycled heavy gas oil from the second reaction zone. 
     
     
       38. The method as claimed in  claim 22  further comprising solvent treatment to separate the heavy oil product from the second reaction zone into deasphalted oil, resin and asphaltene streams. 
     
     
       39. The method as claimed in  claim 38  to produce a resin stream for recycle to the first reaction zone. 
     
     
       40. The method as claimed in  claim 22  further comprising the production of steam. 
     
     
       41. The method as claimed in  claim 40  wherein said steam is produced by circulating quench oil through a heat exchanger. 
     
     
       42. The method as claimed in  claim 40  wherein said steam is employed in a bitumen production facility.